Palladium-NHC mediated telomerization of aromatic alcohols

The telomerization reaction of dienes with alcohols mediated by organopalladium complexes represents a versatile method to convert butadiene into value-added chemicals. The use of aromatic alcohols in the telomerization is still an under-explored area that has attracted increased interest in recent years. In this contribution, we examine the catalytic behaviour of a series of well-defined palladium N-heterocyclic carbene precatalysts (Pd-NHC) in the telomerization of butadiene with aromatic alcohols. The process was optimized by studying the influence of Pd/L ratio, of the base and of the pre-catalyst structure. The versatility of the method was tested employing a series of aromatic alcohols, including lignin-type phenols. In the context of biomass valorisation, an explorative study on the telomerization with lignin was carried out.